A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ore, headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State has revoked the bail earlier granted to a commercial driver, Taiwo Suberu, over the alleged killing of two medical doctors.
The Presiding Judge, Magistrate A.B.T Oyedele,+ who gave the order that the accused should be sent back to the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Centre after the accused was said to have repeatedly violated his bail conditions.
Suberu who was accused of killing two medical doctors, Femi Ogunbodede and Olukoju Oluwaseyi Abdulrasaq in an accident that happened on 29th June 2015, was alleged to have failed to appear before the court with the vehicle he drove when the accident occurred.
He was initially accused by the office of the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of reckless driving which led to the death of the two medical doctors.
The charge filed by Mr Wale Bamisile, a Principal Legal Officer in the Ministry of Justice reads “That you Taiwo Suberu on or about the 29th day of June 2015 at about 9.45 a.m. along Ondo/Ore highway at Omifon Ore in Ore Magisterial district being a driver in charge of one Golf car with registration No Ondo NND 506 XA did drive same recklessly and dangerously without having regard to all circumstances of the case, including the nature, condition, and use of the highway and to the amount of traffic thus causing the death of one Dr Ogunbodede Femi ’m’ aged 32 years and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Road Traffic Law of Ondo State cap 136 Vol 3 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
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Also, “that you Taiwo Suberu on or about the 29th day of June 2015 at about 9;45 am along Ondo/Ore highway at Omifon Ore in Ore Magisterial district being a driver in charge of one Golf car with registration No Ondo NND 506 XA did drive same recklessly and dangerously having regard to all circumstances of the case, including the nature, condition, and use of the highway and to the amount of traffic thus causing the death of one Dr Olukoju Oluwaseyi Abdulrasaq ’m’ aged 32 years and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18(1) of the Road Traffic Law of Ondo State cap 136 Vol 3 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
The charge stated that Suberu dangerously overtook a Toyota Camry car with Registration Lagos LND 417 CU; Dr Ogunbodede was travelling with causing a fatal accident that led to the death of the two medical doctors who were occupants of the car.
The judge discovered that since the vehicle was released for the defendant on bond in 2017 he had not appeared in court with the vehicle after 16 adjournments
Being one of the conditions the defendant was granted bail by the court, Suberu also failed to prove to the court that he knew the names of his sureties and their exact locations when asked by the Magistrate.
Drama also ensued during the court session when the defendant feigned being an illiterate after he denied signing the statement he made in the police station but admitted to had acquired both primary and secondary education in Osun State after he unknowingly responded to questions put to him in English.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Bamisile who argued that according to findings, the defendant lacked the prerequisites of being a driver, hence his reckless driving which led to the death of two young doctors.
Bamisile also prayed that the vehicle should be impounded by the court pending the determination of the case.
Magistrate Oyedele however, expressed displeasure over the defendant’s flagrant abuse of court ordered that he should be sent back to the correctional facility.
Magistrate Oyedele adjourned the case to February 27, 2020, for the continuation of the trial.